Vatican City, 9th May 2005 (CNA)
- Yesterday at noon in Rome, the Holy Father
appeared at his study window to recite the
traditional Regina Coeli prayer, and note two
significant dates for the Church; the solemnity of
the Ascension, celebrated Sunday in Italy and in
many other countries; and the 39th World Day of
Social Communications.
Speaking to throngs of faithful gathered in
St. Peter’s Square, Pope Benedict said that Jesus,
"ascending into heaven, re-opened the path to our
definitive homeland which is paradise.”
“Now,” he said, “with the power of His
Spirit, He sustains us in our daily pilgrimage on
earth."
The Pope said that, "after the Lord
ascended into heaven, the disciples gathered in
prayer in the Cenacle with the Mother of Jesus,
invoking together the Holy Spirit. ... Every
Christian community is reliving in these days this
singular spiritual experience in preparation for
the solemnity of Pentecost."
Turning his thoughts to this year’s
celebration of the World Day of Social
Communications, Pope Benedict noted the theme
chosen last year by then Pope John Paul II:
"The Communications Media: At the Service of
Understanding Between Peoples."
He said that, "in the current era of
images, the mass media are effectively an
extraordinary resource in promoting solidarity and
understanding in the human family. We recently had
extraordinary proof of this on the occasion of the
death and solemn funeral of my beloved predecessor
John Paul II.”
The Pope noted that, "everything depends,
however, on the way they are used," he stressed
that "these important instruments of
communications can promote reciprocal knowledge
and dialogue or, on the contrary, feed prejudice
and disdain among individuals and peoples: they
can contribute to spreading peace or to fomenting
violence.”
“This is why”, he said, “personal
responsibility is always important: it is
necessary for everyone to do their part to assure,
in every form of communications, objectivity,
respect for human dignity and attention to the
common good.”
“In such a way this contributes to knocking
down the walls of hostility that still divide
mankind and to consolidating those bonds of
friendship and love that are signs of the Kingdom
of God in history," he added.
At the conclusion of the Regina Coeli
prayer, the Pope greeted those gathered in
Italian, English and Spanish.
He also greeted participants in the Spring
Marathon - School Fest “which took place this
morning in Rome, Trent and other Italian cities. I
hope the formation of the younger generations is
always at the center of attention of the ecclesial
community and of public
institutions."
